Eighteen at Last
by vandevere
Summary: Post-BDM AU.  River celebrates her Eighteenth Birthday with her Found Family.  Book and Wash alive and well


**Eighteen at Last**

_For GoB, who needs a few giggles and laughs right now…_

River Tam was sane now, the memories of the dead of Miranda no longer clouding her mind. Due to her new-found sanity her brother, Simon Tam, no longer needed to give her any medications that dulled her senses.

So, sane and medication-free, she was now truly able to pull her own weight as a full member of _Serenity's_ crew. These were all important milestones on River's path to selfhood, but one more milestone-a very important milestone-lay just ahead. In fact, it was _right now…_

River Tam was turning eighteen years old today.

Captain Daddy, Mal Reynolds, had had better luck than usual in his…ahem…_business dealings…_

He had also decided that River's eighteenth birthday merited something special, although River was fairly sure it had been Inara and/or Kaylee who had strong-armed Mal into arranging for this party.

Captain Tightpants was also a fairly notorious tightwad when it came to what he called…fripperies.

But Inara Serra somehow had gotten Mal to fork over the necessary amount of cashy money to make the Birthday Party a memorable one.

The venue chosen for the party was an upscale restaurant in Persephone's capital, a place called 歡悅麻雀 .

Joyous Sparrow…

River liked the name; and the place itself had a reputation for simply prepared, and delicious food.

Inara had reserved a private room, and when the Birthday Girl arrived to take her place at the seat-of-honor, the decorations in the room pleased her eye.

Everyone had dressed in their best this night. Kaylee was wearing that flouncy Ball Gown of hers, accompanied by Simon who had found a formal suit somewhere to match Kaylee's gown. Mal was wearing his best shirt and trousers, and he added a narrow tie to complete the look. Jayne Cobb was also wearing his best clothes, and River caught the defensive attitude in his mind.

_I don't just wear these fer the whores, ya know…_

River wanted to reassure him, let him know that _she_ understood, that she knew he was putting on his very best clothes to honor her on her eighteenth birthday. But that would mean admitting that she had gone into his head, and she also knew Jayne _hated_ that.

Shepherd Book had dressed simply, as was his rule. But there was a dark suit Jacket to go over his Preacher's clothes, and a small silver cross on a chain. Inara was, as usual, a vision of silks and perfume; and Zoe and her husband…

For once, Zoe was wearing a long red dress that shimmered in the candlelight, and Zoe glowed too, for a reason that even Zoe didn't know yet. But River could sense the life beginning to form in her womb…

Her husband, Wash, was also wearing a formal suit, a genuine antique, with a bow tie.

River, herself, was dressed rather more grandly than was normal for her. Now eighteen, and an adult in the eyes of the law, she wanted something that would present her as an adult to her Found Family.

As usual, it had been Inara who had come to the rescue. The dress was royal blue and floor-length. Its silken folds shimmered in the candle-light, accenting her curves, drawing eyes to the fact that River Tam did, indeed, have a womanly figure.

The makeup, also done by Inara's practiced hand, accented River's dark eyes, giving them a liquid beauty that she had never seen in her own eyes before, and added touches of color to her lips and cheeks.

_She's made me look beautiful…_

The Reader in River was fascinated by everyone's reactions to this new, more glamorous River.

Kaylee, of course, was simply delighted.

"Ain't you a sight! Always knew you were real pretty…"

"Yes," Zoe had nodded. "You're growin' up now, becomin' a woman, and don't let any of the others tell you otherwise."

"Even Simon?" River cast a nervous glance at her brother. Simon seemed a little nervous about his sister's transformation. Kaylee snorted at that.

"Don't fret any about your brother now," she cautioned. "He's been protecting you for so long. Sometimes Big Brothers are kinda like Daddies; they have a hard time accepting their little sisters are growin up. He'll come around, even if I have to bop him on the head."

Speaking of Daddies…

Captain Daddy seemed every bit as ill at ease, seeing River dressed like a true adult.

"Don't worry about Mal, River," Zoe's dark eyes glistened with humor. "If Mal needs his head bopped, I'd be more than happy to provide that service."

"And my Lambytoes can do it too," Wash put in, eyes gleaming wickedly. "Sweetie, you look gorgeous, and don't let anyone ruin your Day today, dong ma?"

Shepherd Book merely took her hand, and bowed over it like a courtly gentleman.

"You look beautiful, my dear…"

It was Jayne's reaction that really caught her.

_So gorram pretty…Such a lovely little morsel of woman flesh…Gonna make a good man very happy one day…_

River felt her cheeks flush. Jayne wasn't looking at her as if she were a child, or a crazy person one had to be wary of. His appreciative eyes were following curves she hadn't realized she had until today. His eyes were looking at her the way they looked at any woman they found attractive; his regard setting her heart to thumping inside her chest like a caged bird.

But it was time for the food now…

Served on fine plates, with crystal goblets for the wine, the food was certainly on a grander scale than most of the _Serenity_ crew was familiar with. But even Jayne couldn't find fault with it; and there was certainly enough of it, even enough to satisfy Jayne's appetite.

Then, before the cake, it was time for the presents…

There was the necklace and earrings from Inara, a bottle of fine perfume from Zoe and Wash, along with one of Wash's grinning dinosaurs, a tight-fitting pair of jeans, and the whimsical belt from Kaylee, a recording of River's favorite musicians from the Shepherd, a diary from Simon, and a Colt 45 from Mal, with a full box of ammo. But it was Jayne's gift that made her breath catch…

The katana had clearly been made by a master, by one who knew his, or her, craft; and the leather scabbard, likewise, was a product of true craftsmanship. But it was the kanji inscribed on the blade that made the katana special to River.

美丽的舞蹈家

_Beautiful Dancer…_

"Really?" she lifted her eyes to meet his. "You really mean that?"

"Aw…"Jayne flushed bright red to the ears. It's what ya _are…"_

She was out of her seat, throwing her arms around him. She felt his awkward pat on her shoulder.

"Thank you," she said. Then, aware of Jayne's embarrassment, she went back to her chair; and, all the while she was aware of this realization.

_He thinks I'm beautiful!_


End file.
